Rippling Waters
by KeiAiMori
Summary: The reign of the Second Hokage is upon us. How will the generation of this time fair against the upcoming threats of the shinobi world? Here we meet three exceptionally talented shinobi, we learn and grow with them, their lives and their triumphs. OC centered fic. Not a self insert. Enjoy and don't forget to review.
1. Chapter 1: Assignment

The morning sun rose over a tall cliff-face and shone, seemingly directly, through the window of a small ten-year old girl. Her hair as white as sea-foam, her skin only a few shades darker. Her bright, sky blue eyes opened as she awoke. Just as she got out of bed a woman, around her late twenties, poked her head around the door.

"Namika, I'm glad you're awake - your father and I have a meeting to attend - So we can't take you to your team assignment today. Are you alright to go with your cousin, Aiko?" Yuri Seina, Namika's mother, informed and inquired.

"Of course, mother. When are we leaving?" Namika knew to keep all answers blunt and questions to the point as not to waste her parent's time.

"You have an hour until she arrives. I'll be home when you finish school so we can continue our training then. Don't disappoint us today." and with that, Seina left.

"I suppose I should get ready" Namika calmly said to herself. She started by putting her hair in the signature waterfall braid that she's known for doing every day. and dressed in her usual attire since she became a genin. She wore a thick, black happi with white flowers adorning the hem, her trousers went to chins and were black also, along with her sandals. Finally she put her head protector around her waist, wearing it much like an obi and secured her tool pouch to her right leg and her medicinal pouch to her left.

Once dressed, Namika decided that she would go into the garden and practise some of the techniques her mother had taught her last week.

Walking into the garden meant going past her parent's room, the bathroom and her father's study. Until the Shodai died, her father had been his most valued advisor, confidante and assistant which led to him doing a lot of paperwork. Now that the Shodai had passed, his daughters, son and wife were in mourning for the past few weeks since his death. They were on the rise though.

The garden looked lovely in the early morning light, the training dummies and target logs were tinted a slight orange due to the sun's early glow. I started forming the signs, Uma - Mi - Tori - Ushi - Hitsuji and then clap my palms above my head. "Hanaton: Great Flower Summoning". Lily petals of pure white then start to swirl around her and cause her to disappear. Then she steps out from behind one of the target logs.

"I guess that will have to do, Aiko is here" Namika said to herself. It was a poor habit but she felt no need to change it. "Speaking to one's self raises self-awareness and helps with loneliness" she can remember reading from one of her mother's self-help books.

"Namika - I know you know I'm here, let's go!" Aiko shouted from outside. Just as she'd finished speaking, Namika was standing next to her. "C'mon then, let's go!" Aiko didn't particularly like Namika, she found her unsociable, rude and indifferent. When she was in class, Namika excelled at genjutsu, ninjutsu and was far more advanced than anyone in her class. All of them were at least two years older than Namika and she excelled them all in everything. Except one subject; Taijutsu. Namika had the physicality for it, she just didn't like hand-to-hand combat. Before long they both arrived at Konoha Academy.

"Before we go in, Aunt Seina wanted me to inform you that Uncle Tobirama has just been appointed Nidaime Hokage" Aiko informed, seemingly disinterested.

"Father is Hokage then" Namika stated, more to herself than Aiko.

"I best start class, come on in or I'll have to mark you as late" Aiko beckoned towards the door.

As they entered, Namika quickly noticed that someone had put a board eraser on the door. She hurried to her regular seat before it could hit her. Not so much luck for Aiko however.

"Hideyo Fumiko, front and center! Everyone else, sit!" Aiko knew exactly who had done it, she glared at the student. The girl brushed of the glare with the same hand she used to brush back her long, blonde hair which was tied back with her headband.

"Miss Senju, I didn't mean for it to hit you. It was meant for Dojin-chan." Fumiko retorted, aiming her condescending glare at Namika. "How did she even pass? She's way too young!" Fumiko continued.

"At least she didn't get stuck in her own genjutsu, Hideyo Fumiko" Aiko said in a very matter-of-fact tone. Fumiko clamped up immediately.

"You will clean all of these boards and will be the last to be collected for your training today. As will your entire group. Understood" Miss Senju stated.

"I understand Miss Senju, it won't happen again." Fumiko replied.

"Fine, you may be seated" Miss Senju waited to Fumiko to sit and carried on.

"As all of you know, today is the day that you'll be assigned to your Jonin's and your teams. Look after your teammates as your going to be with them a long time. There are ten teams and no clan members from the same clan have been put together. You will all learn to get along. Now, the teams are Shiro, Pinku, Aka, Orenji, Kiiro, Midori, Haiiro, Murasaki, Kuro and Ao. I will call your names and you will sit with your team members. In team Shiro we have; Kuno Giichi, Uchiha Nori and Akimichi Bakin. Pinku; Hideyo Fumiko, Yamanaka Inoko and Hatake Akina. Aka; Inazuka Tenshin, Obinaka Saku and Yamabe Kojiro. Orenji: Shimura Kai, Uchiha Tatsui and Uzumaki Sachi. Kiiro; Lee Nanako, Kohaku Kaiyo and Aburame Jiro. Midori: Miki Shunko, Hyuuga Hikari and Senju Harumi. Haiiro; Kurama Hideyoshi, Hyuuga Takakage and Shimura Katsue. Murasaki; Yamanaka Mina, Uchiha Rei and Senju Koto. Kuro; Nara Yataro, Sarutobi Haruko and Yoshitsune Minamoto. The final team, team Ao is; Takao Kano, Tsuyoshi Isamu and Senju Namika. All teams wait here for your Jonin, they will be through to start your training soon. Team Pinku; you'll be here until you finish cleaning the blackboard and the erasers. That is all." With her final sentence, everyone maneuvered themselves into their groups, aside from Namika. She was petrified. She had absolutely no idea who her Jonin was going to be, she barely knew the two people in her group and she didn't want to look like an embarrassment.

"Hi, you must be Senju Namika. I'm Takao Kano, It's nice to meet you!" The girl walked up to Namiko as she said this. She looked about a year older than Namika. She was quite tall and about as thin as Namika was. Her maroon hair managed to reach just past her shoulders in her high ponytail. She wore a dark coloured crop top with ankle length trousers and dark sandals. Her headband was placed like a turtleneck connecting to her top.

"It's nice to meet you too, Takao Kano." Namika shyly replied.

"Seriously? I get stuck with two girls on my team? This sucks" A boy, looking a year or two older than the girls, complained as he strode up to them.

"You must be-" Kano started.

"Tsuyoshi Isamu. That's me" Isamu interrupted. "I'm guessing that Little Miss Timid over there is Senju Namika and you are-" He started.

"Takao Kano" She finished for him.

"Touche" Isamu commented.

"Team Ao" A woman's voice called.

Quickly Namika, Kano and Isamu ran to the voice, Isamu getting there last.

"Don't underestimate the girls" Kano taunted.

"I am Namiashi Yakumo and I look forward to training you three. I've read your files and devised a training excercise for this afternoon. Namika, you may have already done this exercise with your father. If you have I apologise but you'll have to bear through, okay?" Yakumo quickly said. "Follow me, if you can't keep up - that's part of the test" she added.

They ran all the way through the village. From the north of the village all the way to the outskirts and carried on. Yakumo's pace was fairly fast, enough for Kano to keep up with little difficulty. Namika came in a close second but Isamu was finding it difficult to keep the pace. After half an hour of running, they came to their destination. The Forest of Death.

Just outside of the entrance, Yakumo stopped. She waited for all three of her pupils to arrive and started to speak.

"Here is where your test begins. You know nothing of each other and in this task you shall learn. You may use any techniques you know, you simply have one goal-".


	2. Chapter 2: Training

"Here is where your test begins." Yakumo gestured towards the Forest of Death. "You know nothing of each other and in this task you shall forcefully how to act with and around each other." As she said this she glanced over all of them, paying special attention to Namika. "You may use any techniques you know - you simply have one goal; make it to the central tower before me. It should take you around one hour and thirty minutes to get there. I'll be there in fifty-five minutes. You may use any tactic to slow me down or speed yourselves up. You have twenty minutes to form a strategy and then a five minute head-start starting... Now" Yakumo then leaped away to give the group some privacy.

"How can she expect us to know anything when we've only just finished at the academy?" Isamu whined.

"Didn't you know that each group gets tested by their sensei in the first training session?" Kano inquired. "It's to see if we're worth being genin. If we don't meet her expectations, we may be sent back to the academy.

"I may have an idea for a strategy" Namika said, barely above a whisper.

"Nami-chan? What was that?" Isamu taunted.

"Don't patronize her, she is the Hokage's daughter you know. She's definitely got more to contribute than you have" Kano defended. She then turned to Namika "What's your strategy?" she said, kindly.

"She said we're allowed to use any tactics, I read everyone's files whilst Yakumo-sensei was speaking and I think I know what we can do. Isamu-kun is very skilled in taijutsu techniques and works well with weaponry so if we use him for all of our brute force measures, he'll be indispensable as both Kano and I are suited to mid or long distance fighting. Kano-chan, you are very talented in Ninjutsu with limited genjutsu capabilities and average taijutsu so we can use you to fill in any areas where Isamu-kun and I need assistance. My specialties lie in genjutsu techniques and barrier jutsu. Here's the plan..." Both Isamu and Kano stared at Namika. This was the most they'd ever heard her speak. Ever! Namika was known to be timid and reserved so they had both just ignored her, they now realized how much of an asset she was.

Once the plan was discussed, they turned to Yakumo and told her they were ready.

"Are you sure? You've still got eight minutes left until your head-start. Maybe-" she then saw the readiness and determination in all their eyes and smirked to herself. "Alright then" After a short pause she shouted "San!". The three children ran off the woods.

Isamu, Kano and Namika all knew what they had to do. Isamu hid in a bush, very close to the entrance, with a hand on a branch as to be ready for Yakumo to enter. Kano was focusing her chakra as to build up some more (having expended a fair amount yesterday in the Academy final test and not fully recovered) and reciting a basic Suiton technique she knew. Finally, Namika was setting up a medium sized barrier to trap Yakumo briefly whilst checking the trees for small hiding spots for when she had done so. All of them were done with a minute to spare. They waited.

Yakumo sprinted in, activating the barrier, she froze. _'Immobilization barrier'_ she thought to herself _'Very clever Miss Senju'_ . Almost immediately, she heard a rustling in a bush nearby and a shout from another direction.

"Genjutsu: Infinite Darkness!". Namika shouted from her hiding spot. Soon after, Yakumo's sense of vision, hearing , smell and taste were reduced to nothing. she could not see, hear, smell or taste.

"Yes!" Isamu called from his perch. "We should be able to get really far ahead now!" He added.

"Quickly, Namika said she can only hold both of these justu for a short period of time. Stick with the plan and run! I'll get Namika" Kano called.

"Okay, which way do I head again?" Isamu scratched his head as he asked Kano.

"Follow your compass to the north. If you can't do that, find the river and follow it until you get to a tower, We'll meet there" Kano answered.

"Yoshu, Cya in a bit!" Isamu called back as he jumped from tree to tree.

"Kano-chan, let's go" Namika called as she ran passed. Her hands in the position of the Rat hand sign.

 _'Wow'_ Kano thought _'She's able to cast a jutsu like that without assistance. I can see why she's the Hokage's daughter'_

"Kano-chan. Hurry! the second barrier needs to be broken!" Namika shouted.

"Okay, now coming!" Kano called and raced after Namika. Kano then formed three hand signs: Tatsu - Tora - U. "Suiton: Water Trumpet" Kona hollered and aimed her stream at a large dam. The dam completely obliterated and gargantuan amounts of water from the river gushed towards Yakumo. Just then, Namika released the barrier technique. Yakumo was oblivious to the water until it crashed into her, sending her into the river stream.

"Release the genjutsu whilst she's in the water, we have enough of a head start!" Kano shouted to Namika, who was lagging slightly behind. "We're slow enough without you having to concentrate on your leaps as well as the genjutsu"

"No, it's a part of the plan. A plan that'll work. I can hold on for-" Namika began but she lost her footing and fell. Automatically releasing her genjutsu on Yakumo, due to panic. A yellow and black blur grabbed her from falling.

"Not so useless, huh?" Isamu jeered as he looked at Namika, whom he held in his arms. She blushed.

"C'mon you too, we need to keep up a good pace." Kano called from infront of them.

"Nice to see that she was worried about you" Isamu commented and smirked at Namika. "We're now coming, you'd better not slow us down Takao!" Isamu then launched himself and Namika. Neither Namika nor Kano could believe how fast he moved. It was, what seemed like, a hundred times faster than they'd seen him run earlier.

As they were running, Kano came up with an idea.

"Namika, are you good at sensory techniques?" Kano called from behind, Namika still being carried in Ismau's arms.

"I am okay with them" Namika lied. She had been trained in sensing others by her mother and father. Both of them had been very forceful in her ninja studies, even before she attended the academy. This obviously meant that she was highly skilled in sensing others, even without trying.

"Would you be able to track Yakumo-sensei's position behind us?" Kano shouted again.

"Yes." Namika replied. After a moment she called back "Yakumo-sensei is about a kilometer behind us" She relayed, Namika could easily read Yakumo's large chakra.

"Crap, we'd better speed it up." Kano cursed. "Isamu, can you go any faster with Namika tracking?" Kano inquired to the other teammate.

"Sure, I think a better question is can you keep up?" Isamu cockily shouted back.

 _'I'm going to have to kick it up a notch. Everyone is trying their hardest and I'm lacing behind.'_ Kano thought to herself. She started to sprint.

"It looks like we have about two more kilometers to go. I have an idea if we need to slow down Yakumo-sensei" Kano said as she caught up with Isamu.

Namika quickly chimed in. "We'll need to. Estimating her speed, she'll be there before us. She's only half a kilometer behind in the five minutes we've been talking."

"Right. Namika, we're going to need you to build up another barrier. Is that okay?" Kano inquired.

"Yes, I'm not sure how much chakra I'll have left though so that may be all I can do." Namika knew she had a large reserve for someone her age but she only had an availability to half of it, at the maximum.

"That's fine. Isamu, I'm going to need to know what style release you can use, or what is your most proficient area style technique." Kano waited for an answer.

"Well, my base chakra is apparently Lighting but I can only use one jutsu. Raiton: Five. It means that i can push an electrical current from one of my hands." Isamu replied quickly.

"Perfect!" Kano ecstatically commented.

"How?" Isamu queried.

"You can perform a lightning technique that passes a current, I can perform water techniques which means if I use Suiton: Instant Puddle and you use Raiton: Go; we can trap Yakumo-sensei in a electrostatic field!" Kano seemed very excited with her idea.

"Wow Kano, you really are clever" Isamu exclaimed, surprised at Kano. _'I guess the guys at the academy were right when they called her the Konoha Overachiever'_.

"Wait, Kano stop!" Namika called as Kano was about to leap from one tree branch to another. Luckily, Kano heard her in time.

"What's wrong, Namika?" Kano questioned as Isamu caught up.

"I can detect three other chakras almost directly infront of us. We should be wary of traps" Namika replied. Isamu and Kano looked at Namika, then ahead of them, then back to her. "Maybe we should go around them. But then we'll lose the time we just bought. What a predicament" She continued.

"Or we could run straight through and hope that Yakumo-sensei gets stuck in the traps instead of us." Isamu theorised.

"That could work. First we need to find out who those three are. If we do that, we may know who we're up against" Kano replied.

"That's a good idea" Namika commented. She then proceeded to give Isamu and Kano the positions of all three chakras.

"How long do we have until Yakumo-sensei catches up?" Isamu asked Namika.

"About ten minutes" Namika answered.

"That's more than enough time for us to find out who they are" Isamu commented. He then put Namika down.

"Isamu; you go the one on the left. Namika; you go to the one on the right and I'll go to the one almost dead ahead. The plan is to find out who they are, why they're in the forest and where their traps are. If there are any. Got it?" Kano ratted off her list quickly.

"Understood" Isamu and Namika said and dashed off to their assigned directions. Kano went soon after.


End file.
